Morning journal and courier., 1887-06-10

grand master succeeded 1n fOrclng the GTanQ iodee to reverse it's action in this matter of compromise in less than quarter of an hour after the action was taken. There was certainly no question as to who exercised the ssruline power" on this occasion.
 The worshipful grand masters insinuation that Hiram lodge has been guided in it's ac- tion with view to furthering the schemes of certain Spurious organizations protesting to confer Masonic degrees" is too absurd to call fo- any reply and is fairly on par with his assumption that the great bulk of the members of Hiram lodge do not understand what they are doing. The members of Hiram lodge are not the set of incapables that the grand master would have the public believe. They are quite competent to Investigate and think for themselves. They. have done so, and their decision is that afiliation with the Grand
 lodge is not worth the sacrifice
 which was demanded of them, decision
 which bears the written endorsement of over four hundred members of the lodge headed
 by ex-Governor Henry B. Harrison. They
 are content with their position. They only
 desire that their motives in taking this posi-
 ton shall not be maliciously misconstrued.
 The grand master professes to regret that he
 did not have an opportunity to consult per-
 sonally with the members of Hiram lodge and asserts that he tried hard to get such op- portunity. The grand masters memory needs refreshing. The fact is that he sum moned the members of Hiram lodge to meet him and then failed to put in an appearance himself Between four and five hundred members of Hiram assembled in their lodge room in response to the grand masters sum- mons But the grand master was not there. He says he was denied admission to the lodge room. The fact is that he never sought admission He was not denied for the very good reason that there was no occa- sion for denial. He would not have been de- nied, however, had he sought admission, for the master of Hiram lodge had specially en-
 joined the guardians of the door to admit the
 grand master should he appear. He had
 been particular to give this injunction for
 members of Hiram only. But the grand master did not appear. And when finally sought out by 8 committee of the lodge ap
 pointed for the purpose and invited to come in, he declined. He now says he declined because the other grand officers were not in vited. He did not give that as his reason at the time, however. He based his decTination then solely on the ground that the lodge was in session. If he was really as anxious to meet the members of Hiram lodge as he now professes to have been, he succeeded in con- cealing his anxiety most completely.
 It should not be understood from this re- view of the grand masters statements that Hiram lodge feels that they are of any material importance. They are merely incl dentals with which the grand master seeks to befog the main issue. But the issue remains and the members of Hiram do not propose to lose sight of it. That issue is whether the Blue lodges have any rights which Grand lodges are bound to respect, and whether there is any limit to the power Of Grand lodges. Hiram has taken her position on this issue not without due deliber- atioc. She believes that she is right and that she is contending for principle that cannot be surrendered o4 x-;Eo Eo1 &o io ,o& new departure she is taking. She is standing where she ever stood and she proposes to con tinue to stand there, firm and steadfast, to the end. And how is it with the Grand lodge? Is it standing where it ever stoods Let us turn back the pages of history and see. Let us compare the position of the Grand lodge of half century ago with what it is to day. We find its former position de-
 fined in the affirmation of administrative principles promulgated at it's annual session held in 1s43. Then the Grand lodge of the State of Connecticut was decidedly of opin- ion that few plain, general common sense regulations for the government of Grand lodges, leaving to subordinate lodges the power and right to regulate and govern them selves according to time and circumstances, strictly complying with all the ancient usages, customs and landmarks of the order, will best tend to promote the interest of Free Masonry, and bel nest conducive to friend ship, morality and brotherly love-" How de cidedly of contrary opinion the Grand lodge of Connecticut is to-day may best be noted after view of the absolute and practically unlimited powers over the subor dinate lodges which it has assumed. In the place of the flew plain, general common sense regulations of the Grand lodge of 1S43 we find an array of assumptions of power apparently without limit. To quote from Hiram's address to the Masons of the State, "There is scarcely any power so great, or any license so broad that the Grand lodge cannot find some warrant for it's exercise" The ''few plain, general common sense regu- lations" have given place to volumes of ''ju- risprudence" affording warrant for the exer- else by the grand master of power as auto cratic within it's sphere as that possessed by the Czar of all the Russias. Hiram refused to submit to the exercise of this autocratic power in her case for the very good reason that there was no constitutional warrant for it's exercise. She to-day finds nothing to Ie- gret in that refusal While she would be glad to wipe out whatever of personal bitterness or animosity may have been engendered during the past few months, she would not if she could retrace one step she has taken. Conscious of the rectitude of her motives she is content to stand alone if nec- essary and await their vindication. Standing thus alone she desires no controversy with anybody. Her controversy with the Grand lodge was ended by the action of that body at it's recent special session: While regretling to part company with old associates, she has the satisfaction of feeling that the responsi- bility of tSe separation does not rest on her shoulders. At peace with all mankind, ''with malice toward none and charity towards all" Old Hiram proposes to continue her work in strict compliance with the tan- cient usages, customs and landmarks" of Masonry, confident as ever that time will